" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

Alexis: ... Zane ? ... Hello ? What are you doing out here ?

Zane: ... Nothing. Just felt like being alone.

Alexis: You know, I thought that once your brother enrolled here, you'd feel like that less, not more.

Zane: Maybe that's because my brother shouldn't be here.

Commando: Hup hup hup hup hup hup hup !!

Banner: Hmngh... Aren't you kids getting a little old to be playing war ?

Pharaoh: Meow. 'Are they the loyal servants bringing me fresh kitty litter ? The stuff that feels good beneath my paws. that's good stuff. Praah, praah'.

Banner: Come on you guys, how about a nice, quiet game of charades ? Huh ?

Commando: Hup hup hup hup hup !

Banner: Oh no ! It's the disciplinary action squad ! They only show when a student's in serious trouble ! And they're heading toward...

"Rzzzzzzzzz..."

*BAM BAM BAM*

Commando: Open ! Open this door ! Open !!

"Mgnghnbgh... Whaaaaat... ? Stop with that, it's Saturday... There are no classes..."

Commando: if you don't open up immediately, we'll put down explosive charges and bust it down !

"Yeah, right... Explosive charges... EXPLOSIVE CHARGES ?! Just you wait !! Hah ?"

Woman: Y/n L/n and Syrus Truesdale, right ? You're both under campus arrest.

"... Arrest ? Did we do something wrong ,"

Woman: We're taking you to the interrogation room.

"... ...... Huh... ?"

Y/n/Syrus: EXPELLED ?!

Woman: That's what I suggest. A few days ago, Y/n L/n and two accomplices trespassed into the abandoned dorm.

"Gh..."

Syrus: A- Aniki... ?

Woman: An anonymous letter from one of our faculty members confirms it. You must be punished so an example is set for all the students.

"Wait... So something did happen there..."

Crowler: Don't try to deny it ! You trespassed onto unauthorized grounds and even involved yourself with the Shadow games !

"Gh- Haaah... Haa..."

Titan?: the shadows are famished. They longer for a fresh, lively soul.

"W- What are these ?! Hey, get off me !!"

Titan: Please, tell me kids... I love them...

Sheppard: If a Shadow game really was involved, this become very serious matter...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH !!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH -GK !!"

Crowler: What has gotten into him suddenly ?

Syrus: A- Aniki !!

Sheppard: What's happening ?!

Syrus: H- he's unconscious ! Convulsing on the ground ! And he's hyperventilating !

Sheppard: Quick ! Transport him to the nurse office this instant !!

Syrus: S- So, what happened to him ?!

Fontaine: I can only emit hypothesis at this point, but... Everything seems to be pointing toward a panic attack resulting of an extremely violent trauma... Did anything could have been the trigger ?

Sheppard: Well, it did happen right when we started mentioning the abandoned dorm and the shadow game... Syrus, my boy, do you know what could've caused this ?

Syrus: H- He...

Alexis: Chancellor Sheppard ! It's all my fault.

Syrus: Alexis ?!

Alexis: It's because of me that they were trespassing into the abandoned dorm... Someone wanted to lure them in, and kidnapped me in order to do so. Neither Syrus nor Y/n would have gotten in if it wasn't to rescue me.

Sheppard: ... That still doesn't explain what could have caused this kind of trauma...

Alexis: It's the shadow game itself.

Sheppard: What ?

Syrus: The guy that kidnapped Alexis challenged Aniki to a shadow game !

Sheppard: A shadow game... You can both leave now... thank you for clarifying things...

Sheppard: ... Crowler, I want your opinion on this. The punishment is supposed to make students reflect on their actions, but... I believe something of that caliber counts as more than enough as it is.

Crowler: Y- Yes, that's... But still, they were trespassing. An example must be set for the rest of the students, before the rumor spreads. If they learn one of them went to the dorm and got off without being punished...

Sheppard: And what do you suggest ?

Crowler: ... ... ...

"A... Tag-team duel ?"

Crowler: That's correct. As punishment for trespassing into... For trespassing, you and Syrus will face two opponents in a tag-team duel. I'd say it's rather generous.

"Stop that. I don't want your pity."

Crowler: Well excuse me, maybe I kinda feel a little bad for having one of my students getting traumatized like that ! Ingrato ! In any other circumstances, you two would've been expelled without a second thought ! Now you better get yourself ready !

"Well... better get ready to get my game on then- BUARF !!"

Syrus: WAAAAAAAAAH !! ANIKIIIIIII !!

"S- Syrus, i'm okay now, you can let go of me !"

Syrus: I- It's not that ! haven't you heard ? We're gonna be in a tag-team duel ! This is over for us ! We're gonna lose, and then we'll be expelled !

"Syrus, calm down ! For Ra's sake, just calm down ! How can you tell we're gonna lose this ?"

Syrus: B... But... With me as a teammate...

"Syrus. If I were to do a tag-team duel, I wouldn't have it any other way."

Syrus: Aniki...

Alexis: i'm sorry... I tried to convince them that it was my fault if you were trespassing... But they still decided on Syrus for the duel.

"Don't you worry about that kind of stuff. But if anything, we better get ourselves ready for this... After all, we just need to win this, right ?"

Syrus: You say this like it's that obvious ! Have you ever done a tag-duel before ?!

"I saw quite a few when I was a kid... But it will be a first for me."

Syrus: How can you be so confident ?!

"... You're right. I can't win this on my own. So let's go train a bit, I need to see first hand what your deck can do !"

Syrus: H- Hey, Aniki ! Anikiiii !!

Chumley: Alright you two, remember this is just practice for your upcoming tag-team match, so go easy.

"None can do, Chumley. I doubt whoever we get pitched against will go easy on us."

Chumley: ... Even if there's nothing more I can do at this point...

Alexis: I'm sure it'll be fine. I thought that a tag-team duel as a punishment would set them down, but they seem in high spirits...

"Alright Syrus, don't expect any gifts from me. Just, don't think of it like it's a test, and give it your all !"

Syrus: How can you be so gleeful... I mean, we're certain to be expelled...

"Are you putting yourself down again ?"

Syrus: I- It's nothing.

"Then stop sulking and get ready ! Duel !"

Syrus: Duel...

*4000/4000*

"I'm starting, draw ! ... Okay Syrus, this may not be a test, but I'm still gonna school you for a bit. Faith Bird, in attack mode !! next I set two face-down and end this turn."

Syrus: My turn... I draw...

Syrus: '... I can't use anything to destroy his Faith Bird... But maybe...' I summon Gyroid, in defense mode ! That's it...

"Syrus, if you don't put your back into it more, that's not gonna work out... I draw ! And I summon Spirit of the books, in attack mode !"

"But he won't stay here for long, because I activate the spell card Swallow's nest !"

"With this, by tributing a winged-beast monster, I can summon another one from my deck with the same level ! So goodbye to spirit of the books, and hello to Skull red bird !"

"Now let's battle ! Faith Bird, attack Gyroid !!"

Syrus: N- Not so fast ! You see, Gyroid has a special ability ! Once a turn, it can't be destroyed by battle ! I think you're gonna have to do more than that to bring it down !

"And I think harpie's feather storm will make short work of that ability !"

Syrus: W- What ?!

*SCHBROOOOOOOOOM*

"And now, Red-skull bird !! Direct attack !"

Syrus: GAAAAAAAHH !!

*4000-→ 2450*

Chumley: ... So Syrus got trapped right away...

*Meow*

Pharaoh: Meow. 'Yes. Hold me closer to your bosom, Koala-man. Praah, praah'.

Alexis: This is what I was worried about... Syrus could become a weight as a teammate in a tag-team duel...

Syrus: And to think I even saw you use that very card in your last duel...

"Then you should remember what I said when I used it."

Syrus: Remember...

"We all make mistakes, okay ? This is why we're here at this school, to get better !"

Syrus: ... But... I don't think I can get any better...

Alexis: he already lost his fighting spirit ? Come on, Syrus, fight !

Chumley:... Grrrr... GET BACK UP !! If you let yourself get knocked down because of this, you'll only get held back like me !!

Syrus: Chumley... You never yell, and now you're shouting for me... I can't let everyone down like that ! It's my turn !!

Alexis: Well... It looks like you gave him his motivation back.

Chumley: Well... Since I tend to see things in a bad way, I think i'm good at understanding others...

Alexis: Maybe that's because you're not the useless person you think you are.

Chumley: You think... ?

Syrus: ... I draw ! And I activate Pot of Greed ! So I draw two cards and... Hah ?!

Syrus: 'Power Bond ! It's the card my brother gave me... Like Polymerization, but better... As it doubles the attack of the fusion monster summoned with it. But... He said I shouldn't be using that card... i'll never forget that day in grade school...'

Syrus: M- My turn ! I draw ! 'There it is ! The Power Bond card my brother gave me ! With this, it'll be an easy victory ! I can summon Steam Gyroid, and its attack will be doubled, up to 4400 ! This time, it'll be him who'll have tears in his eyes, for a change !'

Bully: What's that ? You drew a good card, or something like that ? Whatever.

Syrus: Hahahahaha ! You've always been treating me like a stain on your shoes ! Didn't you ? But now, it'll be my turn to bully you !

Bully: What ?!

Syrus: Face your fears ! Crawl on the ground ! Bow at my feet, you dirty monkey !

Bully: You little... When this is over and you lose, I'll be sure to make you pay !

Syrus: Hahahahaha ! And if that happens, I'll make a school turn on my hand and completely naked !

Bully: Alright, that's a man's promise !

Syrus: Hehehe... You'll show me what face a monkey makes when he cries ! Admire this ! The card my big brother gave to me ! Power- !

???: WAIT !!

Syrus: Gaaah !! W- Who interrupted me ?! Hah ?! Big brother... Zane...

Zane: You. I'm sorry, but I'll ask you to act as if this duel never happened.

Bully: You can't tell me what I must do, but whatever...

Syrus: Why did you interrupt us ?! I was gonna win !

Zane: You don't deserve to use that card yet. Until you've matured enough to be called a "Duelist", you can't use this card.

Syrus: Why ?! Why's that ?!

Zane: You don't know why ? Then take a look at the face-down card he had on the field.

Syrus: S... Spellbinding Circle...

Zane: As long as this card is on the field, the targeted monster can't attack or change its battle position. So even if you used Power Bond, you wouldn't have been able to attack, and at the end of the turn, you'd lose Life points equals to your monster's original attack. So you would've lost the duel any way.

Syrus: 'I can't use this card... It's still forbidden to me...'

'... He seems deep in thoughts... What could he be struggling with ?'

Syrus: 'But even if I were to use Power bond, he still has this other face-down... Could it be...'

Syrus: Uhhh... I summon Patroid, in defense mode !

Syrus: And now I'll activate Patroid's special ability ! Letting me see that face-down of yours !

"My face-down ? Well, here it is. It's Sakuretsu armor."

Syrus: 'I knew it ! It's the same strategy he used against that Shadow duelist ! If I attack, my monster will be destroyed ! So I need to deal with it first !'

'Wow... I don't think I've ever seen Syrus so passionate before...'

Syrus: I end my turn.

"very well. I draw ! And I summon Hunter owl !"

"just so you know, this monster gains 500 ATK points for every wind-attribute monster on my field ! And since I have three, it raises all the way to 2500 !"

*1000-→2500*

Syrus: 2500 ?! But that means...

"Skull-red bird ! Attack ! Destroy his Patroid !"

*SCHBROOOOOOOOM*

Syrus: Ghh !!

"And now, Hunter owl ! Attack him directly !!"

Syrus: GAAAAAAAAHH !!

*2450-→0*

"Well, I think that's about it. You okay, Syrus ?"

Syrus: yeah... But man, you didn't hold any punches, did you Aniki ?

"I did tell you I wasn't gonna hold back. But, I'm curious... What was that card you drew ? You seemed oddly fascinated by it..."

Syrus: It's nothing, really... Just this...

"... What ? A Power Bond ?! And you call that "Nothing" ? That could very well turn a duel around if you play it right."

Syrus: That's the point... I can't play it right... My big brother told me I couldn't play it... I knew it, I shouldn't team up with you, Aniki... I'll only slow you down... !!

"S- Syrus ! ... ... What was that all about... ? His big brother..."

Alexis: You don't seem happy about this duel... Weren't you in high spirits about helping Syrus ?

"... I don't even know how to help him at this point... I mean, I already understood the problem with his dueling wasn't him, but... All that about his big brother ordering him not to use a certain card... It bothers me..."

Alexis: His big brother ? So that's what he meant...

"You know him ?"

Alexis: Yes... And he's in this academy as well... Third year in Obelisk Blue, and the very best duelist of this entire school... Zane Truesdale... People here nickname his the "Kaiser" the emperor of Duel Academy.

"The kaiser, huh... So Syrus has an inferiority complex about his brother... That's about the only way, isn't it ?"

Alexis: What ?

"If that complex comes from the fact Zane is viewed as 'Invincible.'... then, if I can beat him, it should help Syrus feel better about himself, right ? It's the only lead I have anyway."

Alexis: i'm not sure... But it could help.

"Alright ! So it looks like I have a new objective. Before the end of this year... I swear I'll dethrone that Kaiser !"